ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2019

NOTE 7 – ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS

UNITIL’S ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS ARE DESCRIBED IN NOTE 8 TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS IN ITEM 8 OF PART II OF UNITIL CORPORATION’S FORM

10-K

FOR DECEMBER

31, 2018 AS FILED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION ON JANUARY 31, 2019.

The Company’s past and present operations include activities that are generally subject to extensive and complex federal and state environmental laws and regulations. The Company is in material compliance with applicable environmental and safety laws and regulations and, as of September 30, 2019, has not identified any material losses reasonably likely to be incurred in excess of recorded amounts. However, the Company cannot assure that significant costs and liabilities will not be incurred in the future. It is possible that other developments, such as increasingly stringent federal, state or local environmental laws and regulations could result in increased environmental compliance costs. Based on the Company’s current assessment of its environmental responsibilities, existing legal requirements and regulatory policies, the Company does not believe that these environmental costs will have a material adverse effect on the Company’s consolidated financial position or results of operations.

Northern Utilities Manufactured Gas Plant Sites –

Northern Utilities has an extensive program to identify, investigate and remediate former manufactured gas plant (MGP) sites, which were operated from the

mid-1800s

through the

mid-1900s.

In New Hampshire, MGP sites were identified in Dover, Exeter, Portsmouth, Rochester and Somersworth. In Maine, Northern Utilities has documented the presence of MGP sites in Lewiston and Portland, and a former MGP disposal site in Scarborough.

Northern Utilities has worked with the Maine Department of Environmental Protection and New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NH DES) to address environmental concerns with these sites. Northern Utilities or others have completed remediation activities at all sites; however, on site monitoring continues at several sites which may result in future remedial actions as directed by the applicable regulatory agency. In July 2019, the NH DES requested that Northern Utilities review modeled expectations for groundwater contaminants against observed data at Rochester. The results of the review, along with any recommendations, will be submitted to the NH DES in January 2020. The Company has accrued $0.7 million for estimated costs to complete the remediation at the Rochester site, which is included in the Environmental Obligations table below.

The NHPUC and MPUC have approved regulatory mechanisms for the recovery of MGP environmental costs. For Northern Utilities’ New Hampshire division, the NHPUC has approved the recovery of MGP environmental costs over succeeding

seven

-year periods. For Northern Utilities’ Maine division, the MPUC has authorized the recovery of environmental remediation costs over succeeding

five

-year periods.

The Environmental Obligations table below shows the amounts accrued for Northern Utilities related to estimated future cleanup costs associated with Northern Utilities’ environmental remediation obligations for former MGP sites. Corresponding Regulatory Assets were recorded to reflect that the future recovery of these environmental remediation costs is expected based on regulatory precedent and established practices.

Fitchburg’s Manufactured Gas Plant Site –

Fitchburg has worked with the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection to address environmental concerns with the former MGP site at Sawyer Passway, and has substantially completed remediation activities, though on site monitoring will continue and it is possible that future activities may be required.

The Environmental Obligations table below shows the amounts accrued for Fitchburg related to estimated and periodic, regulatory review costs for the completed permanent remediation of the Sawyer Passway site. A corresponding Regulatory Asset was recorded to reflect that the recovery of these environmental remediation costs is probable through the regulatory process. The amounts recorded do not assume any amounts are recoverable from insurance companies or other third parties. Fitchburg recovers the environmental response costs incurred at this former MGP site in gas rates pursuant to the terms of a cost recovery agreement approved by the MDPU. Pursuant to this agreement, Fitchburg is authorized to amortize and recover environmental response costs from gas customers over succeeding seven-year periods.

The following table sets forth a summary of changes in the Company’s liability for the current and long-term portions of the Company’s environmental obligations, which are included in Other Current Liabilities and Other Noncurrent Liabilities, respectively, on the Company’s Consolidated Balance Sheets as of September 30, 2019 and 2018.

Environmental Obligations


	($ millions)
	Fitchburg				Northern Utilities				Total
	Nine months ended September 30,
	2019		2018		2019		2018		2019		2018
Total Balance at Beginning of Period	$	—	$	0.1	$	2.0	$	2.0	$	2.0	$	2.1
Additions		—		—		1.0		0.6		1.0		0.6
Less: Payments / Reductions		—		0.1		0.2		0.5		0.2		0.6

Total Balance at End of Period		—		—		2.8		2.1		2.8		2.1

Less: Current Portion		—		—		0.6		0.6		0.6		0.6

Noncurrent Balance at End of Period	$	—	$	—	$	2.2	$	1.5	$	2.2	$	1.5